Avenger
by Ladelle
Summary: Sasuke Uchiha gets more than he bargained for when a trip to retrieve a sacred scroll results in a rather persistent demon tracing his every step. One might actually think they like each other. SasuNaruSasu
1. Chapter 1

**Avenger**

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**Author: **Ladelle

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Okay, so before anyone beats me with a stick, this isn't a new story. I've hd this chapter posted on Ochiba forever, and I keep getting requests to post it here so...here it is, lol.

One of the reasons this wasn't posted here was because there are some stories I have that really are updated on a whim. Seriously. This is one of them. It's kind of like a gift for Gwyllion and Allys that every once in a while I'll prod at...though I have written two chapters in a month which isn't too bad for a fic.

Um, I guess there should be **warnings:**

AU, definitely. Lemon, eventually. MPREG, most likely. I'm not even a huge fan of it...I just want to see if I can do it right, haha.

Well...that's it I guess. I just want everyone to know that this sin't going to be one of my 'update-like-whoa' fics, lol.

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**Chapter 1:**

"It isn't my place to go," Sasuke said shortly, and he pulled his tunic tighter around his shoulders. The wind had begun to pick up and the clouds were beginning to grow dark, signaling a storm in wait. It was all he could do hope the squall would hold until nightfall, at least until he had reached a safer outlet to make camp.

"It was _never_ my place to go," he said to himself again, hissing as a rogue leaf scraped his arm at the mercy of the wind. He had never imagined this fate to befall him, no matter how prominent his family seemed to be. Two days had already passed on his long trek up the ravenous Konoha City bridge of mountains, all to retrieve a scroll that somehow promised a better future for his village.

"I _hate_ that it is my place to go," he finished hastily and he ducked into a cavernous ravine, legs shaking and arms feeling sore. No matter how far he climbed the entrance to the Uchiha Clan chambers seemed to drift further and further away. But then again, this entire mess seemed worlds away from him at the same time, since it had all come at him so soon.

Propping himself against a smooth ledge he slipped to the ground, breathing hard as he felt sweat push dirt and grime down his face. He could taste it in the corners of his mouth, along with the coppery singe of blood. He had battled several guards so far on his route, all shinobi who had dedicated their lives to ensuring that no one made it to the _sacred_ place.

The place Sasuke was trying to get to.

He gasped as his muscles released riddled pains, pulsing under his skin as though he had never worked this hard in his life. And in all honesty—he hadn't. He had battled countless times before—and he was the prodigy of Konoha—but _real_ battles, real battles were completely different. Especially when an entire people depended on you and your mission. And _his_ mission…

…was to retrieve the final scroll. The only written testament in existence on how to enslave a demon—and every account on who to best perform the deed. Because by some fluke of nature the tailed beasts had begun to emerge again, from what he could only guess from sheer power alone. It was only a matter of time before the atrocities he had heard rumors about reached his peaceful village, and in his leader's desperation _he_ had been chosen for the task.

Sasuke coughed. He wasn't sure how much farther he could make it.

One more attack and he wasn't sure if he'd be able to walk, much less transport something of extreme value. He chugged down some water and glanced around, the thick smell of salty seawater invading his senses. He was nearing the great waterfall, which meant only half-a-day's journey left.

He caught his breath and pulled himself to his feet, stumbling to the side as he used the rocky ledge for support. His vision was blurry—he needed rest—but he had to find a safe place to relax. The forest was full of creatures he'd less like to fight than shinobi, and in the overhang of the giant furs, not even the moonlight would lend him any guidance.

He spotted a cave buried in the inner cliffs of the mountain and after a heavy inhalation he stumbled forward, desperate for a place to rest. Each footstep felt too long and he couldn't seem to breathe fast enough, even after concentrating all of his efforts. When he finally reached the blackened crevasse, he quickly scanned the area to make sure he was alone and that nothing treacherous had followed him.

"I shouldn't have been chosen for this," he said to himself as he waded into the darkness. He wanted to fall to his knees and rest, but the paranoid side of him urged him to go further into the darkness—further from anything that could have followed him up the mountain. And aside form that, surprisingly, a small light burned blue from ahead.

"What on earth…" he followed it, his curiosity beginning to overwhelm the more exhausted part of himself, and his eyes widened as he got closer to the source. It was a hole dug from the roof of the cavern, shining down onto a stone alter. A beatifically decorated stone altar at that—displaying the one thing that could make him finally stumble to the ground in relief.

The scroll.

He dropped his bags and rolled onto his back, letting out a satisfied groan. He thanked whatever gods had guided him to the small inlet, grateful that he could return home successful, and potentially even a hero. His older brother would be proud of him, and the village leader would award him…and hopefully the tailed beasts would be stopped before any real damage was done.

After what seemed like an hour of rest and relaxation, Sasuke pulled himself up from the ground and wandered to the altar, admiring the carvings etched into the sides. They weren't familiar to him at all, which he thought was strange considering it was his village's shrine that held the fabled scroll. The parchment itself looked ages old, and was pinned down with red ribbon in the shape of a swirling circle.

He stared at it for a moment and stepped forward, slowly pulling the ribbon away and pushing it to the side. When his fingers enveloped the scroll he felt something bolt through him—a power or an energy, and he jumped out of pure surprise when the altar lit up, enveloping the entire cave in light. He whipped around as his surrounding finally became clear, taking in the formations he couldn't make out before.

The rocky walls were carved into intricate shapes—foxes running, climbing, surrounding each other to create a gigantic statue of an enormous nine-tailed beast. The sculpture was frightening and its mouth hung open, supporting a giant orb of amber behind snarling teeth.

When Sasuke caught his breath he shook his head, embarrassed for being so surprised. He walked up closer to the orb, admiring the perfectly maintained carvings that surrounded it, wondering why they existed in a shrine to guard against demons.

As he examined the oversized amulet he took in its depth, sighting a shadow inside. His first thought was that it was a fox, but the longer he stared the more human it seemed. He knew he should have reached out—he felt his insides urging him to take the scroll and leave. The amber was so smooth though, and everything about the cavern was breathtaking and eerie, so much that when his hand reached out to touch the glowing stone, the cool feel caught him off guard.

That and the fact it seemed to crack under his touch.

He yanked his hand away and watched in awe as the stone shattered, a figure almost exploding from within, looking almost asleep. Sasuke raised an eyebrow, a bad feeling overcoming him, before the figures eyes snapped open and he jerked forward, as if he was finishing a sentence he had started a long time ago.

"—you JERK!"

Sasuke stumbled backwards, completely in awe. The amber had melted in front of him, revealing a boy his age, golden hair—hair _not_ of his region—and he was waving an arm dramatically at…well, no one.

"You—" the boy glanced around, almost confused, before turning his attention down to Sasuke and squinting his eyes.

"What the hell happened to you?" he asked casually, and Sasuke narrowed his eyes, clutching the kunai in his belt. He frowned.

"I don't know wh—"

"I turn my eyes for _one_ frickin' second and you're trying to seal my ass into a cave—and now look at you—one blink and you look like death," the figure knelt down, narrowing his eyes further. "_Saaaaay_…you look _really_ different."

Sasuke snorted. "I don't know you."

The figure cocked his head to the side and stood up straight, placing his arms on his hips. His eyes widened after a minute and he shook his head.

"I can't believe it," he said quickly, and Sasuke didn't really want to know. He really just wanted to sneak away from the crazy cave boy and find his family's secret scroll. He had done something he wasn't supposed to, and now there was a boy—who was originally stuck in a ball of amber—wandering around like a crazy person.

Sasuke's first thought was that he was dreaming.

As much as demons and spells existed in his village, they were considered normal. What had just happened in front of him however, was not. He narrowed his eyes as the boy continued to stalk around, looking irate.

"I _really _can't believe it," he repeated again as if it were a mantra. He glanced down at Sasuke and licked his lips. "That bastard _sealed_ me!"

Sasuke sat and watched the blond shuffle around the cave, looking like a tea kettle about to burst. When he abruptly turned and caught Sasuke's eyes, the Uchiha narrowed his own, still on guard.

"You…you aren't Madara, are you?"

Sasuke shook his head slowly and swallowed. If it weren't for the surprisingly desperate look in the blond's eyes he wouldn't have cared—hell, he _didn't_ care—but it made him more curious then he was comfortable with.

"Uchiha Sasuke," he said, wondering who this Madara character was. The blond plopped down beside him and crossed his arms over his chest, almost pouting.

"He sealed me. _Sealed_ me. We had a promise, that prick and I—"

Sasuke cleared his throat which drew the other boy's attention. When he glanced up, Sasuke was assaulted by ridiculously blue eyes that were anything but threatening.

"Who are you?" Sasuke asked, trying to stay on his toes. His exhaustion had faded along with the replacement of adrenaline and caution, but now, with the _threat_ being nothing more than a boy in a cave, he felt more at ease—sort of.

He tried not to think about the fact the boy had been in a piece of amber, or that he kept repeating the world 'seal'. It would only complicate things—things he didn't _want _to complicate.

"Uzumaki Naruto," the blond introduced himself, and he looked pained as his breathing got shallow. "Shit."

Sasuke watched as the boy went still suddenly, his eyes rolling backwards as he tipped forward, obviously losing consciousness. Sasuke unconsciously caught him and sat him upright as he chuckled.

"Twice," he said as he rested against Sasuke's arm, his voice little more than a breath. "That bastard sealed me twice," and Sasuke watched as the blond struggled to push himself up and yanked up the white tunic that covered his belly. Sprawled across it was a swirling circle—much like the red ribbon Sasuke had removed earlier, surrounded by ancient markings that Sasuke _did_ recognize—and they were powerful.

So powerful that he wondered why a human would bear them—and above that, how one bearing them could still be alive and breathing. He yanked his arm back from behind the boy and stumbled backwards, pulling a kunai up from where his baggage was loitered. He turned and pointed it towards the blond who was breathing evenly now, all while giving him a terse glare.

"What, are you going to stab me?" he almost joked, and struggled to his feet, overpowering whatever exhaustion he had felt minutes before.

"You're not normal," Sasuke said, and it was the only conclusion he could come to. He clutched the scroll in his hand and felt his battle spirit ignite, making his mind become more serious and focused with the person in front of him.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto," the figure said again, and Sasuke snorted, wondering if that was this person's idea of a joke.

"You shouldn't play games with an experienced shinobi," he warned, and was again assaulted with blinding blue eyes. The person named Naruto stepped forward, edging closer and closer to Sasuke until the sharp tip of the kunai blade was resting against the white fabric of his shirt. They never lost eye contact, and the blond smirked.

"Again, are you going to stab me?" Naruto asked, and Sasuke narrowed his eyes before plunging the weapon forward, feeling the familiar feeling of metal sinking into flesh. He wasn't one to be intimidated by anyone, especially this—_thing_ in front of him.

Naruto coughed and stepped backwards, holding the handle and looking half pained—and half amused.

Sasuke watched in fascination as the blond yanked the weapon out and threw it on the ground—an injury that should have killed him ignored like a mosquito bite.

"I hate to break it to you," the blond said, "but there's no way in hell you could defeat me."

And suddenly everything seemed to hit Sasuke. Of course this person couldn't be killed that easily—the blond had been caged in some sort of spiritual amber, had an ancient seal encrypted on his stomach and had also been sealed under a swirling piece of binding ribbon as well. Glancing down to the scroll, Sasuke decided to make an assumption.

"Maybe," he ventured, "but this scroll is a sealing scroll. I'll seal you again, whatever the hell you are."

There was a moment where Naruto looked a little angry and a split second later he was grabbing his sides, laughing hysterically.

"A sealing scroll?" the blond asked, and he chuckled even more. "That's a binding scroll, what you got there," he explained. "Not that I'm too happy about it, but hey, you break it you buy it."

Sasuke fumed. What the hell was this thing talking about? "What the—"

"I'm indebted to you," Naruto interrupted, and continued. "You freed me by touching that scroll, and now I'm yours."

Sasuke glared in disbelief, and while he understood the words the other boy had said, they made no sense to him. "I don't want you," he replied.

Naruto shrugged and leaned back against the altar, looking passive. "I don't want _you_ either, but rules are rules. I'm responsible for you for now, at least until the debt has been repayed. The only way to get rid of me is to seal me. Again." Naruto looked irritated and examined his fingernails with interest.

Sasuke growled. "Tell me where the scroll of tailed beasts is."

Naruto's eyes jerked up, looking dangerous. "What scroll of tailed beasts?"

"The one that tells you how to seal them." he countered, and the blond frowned.

"How should I know," he remarked. "And even if I did, why on earth would I tell you?"

Sasuke decided to ignore the sudden hostility and leaned down to pick up his belongings, prepared to trek back down to the village. For some reason he just knew that the scroll his elder had sent him for didn't exist anymore. When a strong hand gripped his forearm he whipped his vision around, glaring at the culprit.

"Where are you going?" Naruto asked, and Sasuke shook his hand off, heading for the exit.

"To my village—away from _you_." He responded, and he shuffled towards the door. From behind him, Naruto followed, much to his anger.

"There's no reason for you to follow me." Sasuke said as he stalked out, and Naruto snorted as the bright light of the moon lit the mountain scene outside.

"I already told you, I'm indebted to you," he tried to re-explain, "but don't go thinking I'm going to go help you seal anything," he added.

Sasuke turned around and glared again, annoyed. As the cool night breeze assaulted his face he suddenly felt hot, and the weary strain from his journey hit him like a horse-drawn wagon. He let out a deep breath and tipped forward, exhaustion overtaking his senses.

He felt a strong arm around his waist and wanted to argue with being hoisted over the boy's shoulder, but couldn't muster the energy.

"See, what would you do without me," Naruto said, and it was the last thing Sasuke heard before he fell into darkness.

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**a/n:** A fantasy adventure! Who would have thought?


	2. Chapter 2

**Avenger**

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**Author:** Ladelle

**Rating:** M

**Comments: **Thank you for all of your reviews! To be honest, between my posting of this and two chapters of MiLoCo I have been unable to reply to them! I'm so sorry. I 'll set aside some time to be better at it.

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**Chapter 2:**

When Sasuke woke up, he was dimly reminded how rough his journey had been. His muscles were sore and he was light headed, and someone had left the window open above him. He squinted as the sun's rays temporarily blinded him, and after a minute the bamboo blinds snapped shut and a cool hand brushed across his forehead.

"You should sleep some more," it was his brother's voice and it was full of an ample sort of concern, and Sasuke ignored it. He struggled to sit up in the familiar bedding of his room, reaching for a glass of water that sat at his bedside.

His mind felt foggy as he woke up, attempting to recall everything that had happened. The trek had been long and wary, and he remembered the blond-haired boy from the cave—but even though he was the most mysterious part of the journey, only one thought circulated in Sasuke's mind.

He hadn't returned with the scroll.

As the youngest in his clan he had been entrusted with a mission that not only would place him in rank, but earn him a more secure status in the village. His clan had a reputation, and he had spoiled it somewhat. He grimaced as he swallowed the water, his dry throat eagerly willing it down.

"What have the elders said?" He asked, and he lifted his eyes to meet the blood-red irises of his older brother. They were swirling with indigo hues, a sign that his brother had recently used them—had he been upset with someone? The bloodline trait of his family wasn't activated easily, and it made Sasuke nervous.

"They don't blame you," were his brother's words, and even Sasuke could hear the mixed feelings behind him. Itachi had been depending on him to return with the scroll as much as the village leaders had, and Sasuke frowned when he realized that his return was more shameful than anything else.

"How did I get back to the village?" he asked, and his brother eyed him skeptically.

"You don't remember?"

Sasuke shook his head and glanced around his room, half expecting to see a blond-haired foreigner bouncing around. He wasn't disappointed when his vision didn't reign true, but he was surprised when his brother's expression looked ominous.

"Sasuke," he said, and his expression was dim. "What you were supposed to bring back was the scroll to seal demons," he continued, and Sasuke's eyes narrowed as the room suddenly became colder. It wasn't like his brother to be nervous, or even this serious. He narrowed his eyes.

"I know that," he stated and when his brother's eyes met his, it shivers up his spine.

"What you brought back was a demon itself," his brother's words were cold and absolute, and Sasuke felt his blood run cold.

"W-what?" Visions of the blond-haired boy raved through his mind and he contemplated the situation. He hadn't expected that person to be normal—but a demon? A demon _he_ had released?

There was a knock on the door and Uchiha Shisui stepped inside, closing the door behind him. He was the youngest member of the council and he was also Itachi's closest friend, making his allegiance to the two brothers slightly stronger than his secrecy to the small group of leaders in his village.

"What have they decided?" Itachi asked, and Sasuke glanced up to Shisui who was wearing the ornate robes of council meetings. He looked serious and his eyes were low.

"Sasuke, I'm afraid I don't have the best of news," Shisui said, and from the corner of his eye Sasuke saw Itachi's face curl in anger. The councilman continued.

"The decision was unanimous. Until this demon has been resealed and you return with the scroll, the village cannot permit you to stay."

There was a heavy silence in the room before Itachi flew up from his chair next to Sasuke's bed, his eyes flaring. "He was too young to be sent in the first place. The village can't estrange him because they made a bad decision."

Even though Itachi's words were meant to defend, they bit into Sasuke's pride. Had it really been a mistake to assume he was capable of retrieving something so valuable? Was he really that useless?

He pulled the comforter down from his chest as Shisui attempted to re-explain the situation and held his pounding head in his hands. It was true that he was young, and even more true that he was born into the family with the strongest bloodline—but it was even more devastating that he was sixteen and still didn't have a streak of red blazing in his Uchiha eyes.

His brother was getting more and more angry by the second and Shisui looked unfortunate enough to be the messenger. After a minute, Sasuke narrowed his eyes and pulled his attention upwards.

"Where is he?" he asked, and the comment seemed to catch both men off guard. They turned to him and Shisui let out a reluctant sigh. "The demon?"

"Don't go near him, Sasuke." Itachi's voice was deep and dangerous, and Sasuke snorted. Even if Naruto was a demon, Sasuke hadn't felt any _real _fear around him. And he definitely didn't feel like being patronized or warned considering he was to be forced from the village due to the creature.

"I don't think he can hurt me," Sasuke said quietly before meeting his brother's skeptical gaze. "He said something like he was bound to me…and that he was indebted to me."

Itachi's expression looked even more discourteous after that comment, and Shisui raised an eyebrow. "He said that to you?"

Sasuke nodded and pulled himself out of his bed, noting that for the first time in a few days he was going to be able to take a long and relaxing bath. Afterwards he planned on visiting Naruto—which was odd anyway. What kind of demon looked human and had a name like 'Naruto'?

"Sasuke…" Shisui looked apologetic and completely affected by the council's decision. "Get cleaned up…and I'll take you to see the demon. The council wants you off by tomorrow morning, so…"

"There are a lot of plans to be made," Itachi concluded. He sounded bitter and resentful; he had always been overprotective for Sasuke's sake. Going against the council was an uphill losing battle however, and it seemed as though the older brother had just settled for preparing his younger brother for a journey that would be anything but peaceful and easy.

Sasuke nodded and turned towards his bathroom, feeling more angry and ashamed of himself than anything else. He had originally thought that the council would give him another chance, but the fact that blond idiot had brought him back ruined his chances for salvaging any of his lost pride.

He closed the door behind him, leaving Itachi and Shisui to chat amongst themselves, and started the water in his marble-basin tub. He was only wearing white gaucho leggings, assumably from when whatever family doctor had tried to dress his wounds, and as he ran a hand through his hair he felt dried and crusted dirt fleck from the movement.

He frowned and stepped into the tub, soaking up the feeling of hot water against his pale skin, turning it pink. He used soaps to rub the grimy feeling from himself, and leaned backwards to douse his hair in the heated liquid. After nearly twenty minutes of ridding himself of any speck of dirt or sign of travel he drained the basin and stepped out, drying himself before dressing in a classic Uchiha crested back tunic and long slacks. He was tall for his age, he knew.

He ruffled his hair in a fluffy towel and let it fall haphazardly around his face, and having a mind of its own it curled around his features perfectly. He felt clean and better prepared to visit the object of his present anger.

"Are you ready?" Shisui had been waiting outside of the large house Sasuke shared with his brother, and when Sasuke flinched at the brightness of the sun, he guessed it was around mid-afternoon. He nodded and ignored wary glances he received from other members of his village, all probably more than well informed about the fact he _hadn't_ returned with the sealing scroll.

Shisui looked agitated but they both remained silent until they approached the barracks—the place where his village held the most dangerous of criminals. Despite the fact Naruto appeared to be a demon, it seemed a little much. Sasuke felt pity only for a second before he realized that he had no room for sympathy—especially for a demon—in his heart.

"When he brought you back, the elders panicked," Shisui explained, and he flashed his crest as a councilman to get permission from the front desk guards to enter the facility stronghold. The building itself was immaculate and huge; a stone edifice with shinobi lined at every corner to guard the inhabitants. It was cold and stale the deeper they traveled, and the air was almost sickeningly humid—the muggy weather from the land above sinking lower into the earth's depths.

"Is he really _that_ dangerous?" Sasuke asked, knowing that the more feared prisoners were usually held captive lower. It made his stomach turn a bit—what had he freed?

Shisui turned a corner on the third level down and led Sasuke to an open chamber and his eyes narrowed somewhat, seeing that his council elders had left no bars uncovered in their effort to subdue the demon beast.

Aside from the fact he was behind a barred enclosure, he was also cuffed within. Barrier scrolls littered the chamber, all the strongest kind, ensuring that he couldn't step a foot outside of their bounds. There was only a small window near the top of the interior walling, and surprisingly enough, Naruto was hunched up by it, staring outside.

"It's about time you came to get me out of this mess," Naruto's voice surprised Sasuke, and as the demon turned his head, bright blue eyes once again assaulted faded coal. Sasuke snorted.

"I haven't come to get you out of anything," he stated, and he watched as the almost relieved expression on the demon's face grew sour.

"Hey, I _saved_ you," the blond urged, batting his eyelashes. "And this is what I get for it?"

Sasuke couldn't help but think that it was a little incredulous, but he kept his stoic expression. He put his hands in his pockets and Shisui seemed to just be interested in their interaction more than anything else.

"You should have thought about the fact you were a demon before meandering into my village," he replied shortly, and in seconds Naruto hopped down from the window—a long distance to drop—and shot against the cage, grabbing the bars.

"I _told_ you already," he said quietly, as if he only wanted Sasuke to hear, "I _had_ to save you. It's my duty…!"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow and finally Shisui's interest seemed overly perked. He stepped forward, his eyes still cautious, and let out a breath.

"What is your demon name?" he asked, and Naruto seemed to be surprised before his attitude went completely placid.

"I don't have a reason to tell you anything," he said, and he looked Shisui up and down, almost as if his white robes were intimidating. Sasuke glanced between them and frowned.

"The council hasn't even learned anything about him?" it was strange, considering they seemed afraid enough to have placed him in such high security. Shisui shook his head.

"Sasuke," he said firmly, "that mark on his stomach—it's not a seal just anyone can use…and it's not one that any normal demon can survive. He's one of the tailed demons," he explained, and Sasuke felt his eyes go wide and his face pale. He jerked his attention back to Naruto who looked bored.

"Just what is going on with the tailed beasts, anyway?" he asked, an eyebrow raised. "You even said something about finding the sealing scroll in the cave," he added, and Sasuke felt his anger bubbling.

"You're not denying it—being a tailed-demon?" he snarled, and Naruto shook his head.

"Why would I lie about it?" he looked completely baffled and Shisui looked skeptical. This was the most anyone had been able to get out of the new prisoner and he couldn't help but owe it to Sasuke's presence. It wasn't a lie that the demon trusted him—strangely enough.

"Something must have happened over the past couple hundred years that I don't know about," Naruto said finally, and he sighed before retreating into his cell and plopping onto the floor. "Madara's council would have _never_ treated me like this."

Sasuke didn't even blink before Shisui waded past the barriers, his eyes wide and grueling. "What did you just say?"

Naruto glanced up minutely, still looking irritated. He glanced back to Sasuke before deciding to answer.

"Like I'm a criminal. You're supposed to respect me—not lock me up. Which, by the way, is pretty useless."

It was dangerous for Shisui to be so close, Sasuke knew, but it seemed as though something Naruto had said struck his interest. And Sasuke never saw Shisui anything but calm, so it made his chest feel tense. He stepped forward next to his friend.

"No, you said 'Madara'. How do you know Madara?" Shisui's voice was urgent and it after a minute, Naruto smirked. He stood up languidly, drawing attention to how toned his young body was, and how dangerous he looked in the poor underground lighting.

"Hmm. You know him?" Naruto's attention completely drifted away from Sasuke, intent on the older man next to him. His eyes were low, and the hazy blue in them were bright and focused.

"How do _you_ know him?" Shisui repeated, and Naruto let his fingers run up the bars of the cell before gripping them, a movement that made Sasuke's stomach tighten. He had never met someone who could command attention so easily.

"I'll tell you what," Naruto said. "If you tell me what's happened with the tailed-demons, I'll tell you all about Madara."

"As if we would trust a demon," Sasuke said firmly, but Shisui looked more than enticed. After a moment, the older Uchiha looked reluctant and nodded. "Keep your word, demon."

Sasuke was surprised at how easily he had given in, especially when he didn't understand why this Madara person was so important. He decided to remain quiet though, and to just listen.

"The story behind the tailed-beasts is simple. They've broken their bonds and are destroying villages, as I can only assume you will try to do if you are free," Shisui explained, and Naruto's expression changed from confident and overwhelming to shocked and confused.

"That's impossible. They have no reason to," he said, and Shisui frowned.

"It's true, and I don't believe you're as naïve as you make yourself out to be. Hold up your end," he directed, and Naruto looked offended and then defensive.

"When were they sealed? How long have I been…" his voice drained away, and suddenly looked more determined. "Madara…was a friend. A partner. He's the ruler of the fire nation, or _was_ at least. He had the binding scroll," he nodded towards Sasuke, "before you."

Shisui was unreasonably quiet, and it made Sasuke nervous. He glanced up at the older man and then to Naruto, trying to make out just what Naruto had just admitted.

"I don't believe it," Shisui said, and before Sasuke could ask, more words left his pale lips. Words that made Sasuke's blood run cold, and his nerves jump.

"You can't be…the nine-tailed demon…"

Naruto glanced between them before turning away from the cell, shrugging. He obviously was oblivious to what power that statement held. "I don't see why it matters. I'm indebted to Sasuke, anyhow."

Shisui glanced down to Sasuke and then to Naruto and everything seemed to makes sense in Sasuke's head. The reason Naruto hadn't wanted to seal anything—the reason he had _two _seals. The reason his presence was so demanding.

"I told you that I don't want you," Sasuke stated, and Naruto rolled his eyes.

"That doesn't change the fact that you're the one who released me," he explained. He looked annoyed. "Don't you understand? I would do _anything_ for you. I'm bound to—I can only use my power for what _you_ tell me to."

Sasuke blinked. He hadn't thought of that.

"Sasuke. Tell him exactly what I tell you to," Shisui said, and his eyes were narrow and his voice was firm. Sasuke was surprised by the comment, but he nodded anyhow, and Naruto looked surprised and suddenly anxious.

"You will help me find and subdue the tailed-demons, bringing no harm to me or the Uchiha village, only honor." Shisui's words made Naruto's eyes go wide and he threw a glance at Sasuke willing him not to repeat those words.

"I can't—those demons, they're my friends—"

But Sasuke only stared before repeating Shisui's words, and effectively silencing Naruto's desperate voice.

There was silence afterwards where Naruto seemed to soak up the command, and he looked betrayed—an expression that Sasuke found hard to ignore.

"Why? Why would you do that…?" His comment was planted on Shisui and he looked more defeated than ever, which was surprising to Sasuke. Shisui shook his head.

"I never in my life thought I would live to see a true binding," he explained, and he put his hand across the prison lever, effectively unlocking it with a spell. Naruto glanced down at the opening cautiously, and even Sasuke was unsure of the action.

"Whatever you tell him, he'll do, Sasuke," Shisui said. "And as of now, he is no longer harmful to this village or its people."

Sasuke felt a new sort of power in his words, but waited for Shisui to speak again.

"Itachi and I got everything together for you—so you could leave tonight. I actually feel much better about this, now that he will be accompanying you," he said, and Naruto snorted, looking irritated at the situation.

"Leave this town and find the sealing scroll—there are more than one. If the one in our mountain isn't there anymore…you'll have to find one in the other major cities of the fire nation."

Sasuke nodded and glanced over to Naruto, narrowing his eyes. "Don't double-cross me," he added for insurance, still not entirely as trusting as Shisui. Naruto frowned and rolled his eyes. "Yes, _master_."

"We'll take the back passageway up so that the guards don't see him," Shisui said, and Sasuke nodded. When Naruto stepped outside of the barrier scrolls without looking pained, the two Uchiha's exchanged glances. The blond frowned.

"I told you they were useless," he said, and Sasuke snorted. "Why didn't you escape already?"

Naruto's next words made the rest of the journey silent, and made Sasuke feel vaguely bitter.

"Because," he said quietly, "I have no where else to go."

* * *

**a/n:** Okay, so I only have two written and again, this probably won't be one of my fast updating ones. I'll do what I can though.

Thank you for reading!


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